Knockdown crate.



A. V. BAUMEISTBR. KNOGKDOWN CRATE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1910.

Patented June4, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A; v. BAUMEISTER.

KNOGKDOWN GRATBL APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1910.

Patented June 4, 1912.

iwemliow To all whom it may concern:

, is secured.

' accompanying drawings, which form a part ping cases of this character are subjected.

outrun snares PATENT oriucn. l

ANDREW V. BAUMEI STER, OF ROCKWOOD, MICHIGAN.

KNOGKDOWN CRATE.

' application filed August 29,

Be it known that I, ANDREW V. BAU- MEISTER, citizen of the United States, residing at Rockwocd, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Knockdown Crates, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement-- in knockdown crates, shown in the accompanying drawings and, more particularly pointed out in the following specification and claims. I

The object of my invention is to produce a crate simple in construction, of low cost of manufacture, and yet one in which-the parts when assembled are sutliciently rigid to withstand the hard usage to which ship- An'othcr object is to provide an interlocking feature not affected by exposure or moisture,an objection frequently raised against crates employing wooden interlocking devices.

Another feature of the invention is the means employed to-lock the several parts together upon being assembled.

Another feature is the simple and novel means employed to secure the cox'er to the walls of thecrate.

Other advantages and improvements will hereafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification:Figure 1.is a perspective view of the crate as it would appear whenfinuse. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of. the interlocking strips to which the bars forming the wall of the crate Fig. 3 is a similar perspective view of the coasting member. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the two corner members in assembled relation and locked together. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical sect-ion through a portion of the crate, showing the manner of securing the cover in place. Fig; 6 is a perspective view of'the crate with the cover removed, showing-the manner of assembling the'walls of the crate.

Fig. 7' isit" plan view of the crate with the cover removed disclosing the manner of se- Specification of Letters Patent.

D,fo'rmed of sheet metal having a return Patented June 4, 1912. 1910.' Serial No. 579,516.

curing the bottom grating in position andhow the latter serves to brace its side Walls.

Referring now to the letters of reference placed upon the drawings:-A, A, are the side walls of the crate formed of Wooden bars spaced apart and secured at their ends to the metallic strips B, B, the latter hav-' ing a projecting portion extending from the ends of the bars and formed With a return bend b, in spaced relation to the body of the strip. v

C, C, are the grated end walls formed of wood-bars similar to the side walls and likewise secured to metallic end members D,

bend portion (Z adapted to interlock with the return bend of the members. B secured to the side walls. The end and side walls may also be reinforced if desired with wood or other posts E towhich the gratings may be secured. 1

B are openings in the end members B, and D are spring locking lugs formed in the members D by partially punching out the metal the lugs thus formed being bent outwardly that they may enter the openings B of the co-acting members 13, to lock the walls together. Any suitable locking device may be employed in'connection with the interlocking end posts but the device shown hasbeen'found both simple and efficient.

F is a bottom grating formed of spaced wooden bars secured to the battens F, F, the latter when the bottom grating is assembled, lying adjacent to the edges of the wooden posts E, thereby securing the grat- "mg against lateral movement. The strips fm-ming the grating are adapted to project between the two lower bars of the side walls, resting upon thelower members for support; the two end bars being contiguous to the' posts E when the bottom grating is assembled to insure againstmnd play.

G is the top grating nailed cit-otherwise secured to the members H, H, H ,-the construction being such that the end of the latter members abut against the end frames of the crate to provide against lateral move- 1n ent.

I are-plates secured to the upper bars of the end walls and projecting inwardly that they'may overlap the ends of the member H to secure the cover grating in position the cross bars of which rest upon the top strips of the side walls of the crate.

To release the cover it is only necessary to spring the end wall sufficiently so that the fasten- H are placed contiguous to the end posts E,the arrangement being such as to provide against lateral displacement of the cover.

-'Having indicated the several parts by reference letters, the assembling of the device will be understood. The side and end walls are joined together by interlocking t e end members as indicated in'Fig. 3 of the drawings,-the bottom grating being placed in position before the last wall is interlocked. Upon the part D of the members D passing the opening B in the'members B, the spring lug will enter the opening thus securing the parts together. To secure the cover in place one of the end walls of the crate is sprung sufliciently to admit the end of the cross member H below the plates I;which overlapping the end of the mem ber H when the parts are assembled, secures the cover in position.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim 1s:

1. A knockdown crate having a bottom, sides and end walls, angular corner" ptosts secured to the ends of the side walls and provided with return bend portions, the return bend portions being provided with openings, metallic strips secured to the ends of each end wall, each strip having a return bend portion interlocking with the return bend portion of an angular corner post,

spring tongues carried by the return bend portions of each metallic strip for engagement with the openings in the angular corner posts, a grated cover composed of bars and bat-tens secured together, the ends of said bars resting upon the top of the side walls when the crate is assembled, and metallic locking plates secured to the 'end walls at the top thereof and projecting over the ends of one of the cover battens, the battens of the cover terminating short of the end-walls.

2. In a knockdown crate, grated sides and end walls, sheet metal end posts formed in two parts, one part having a return bend portion interlocking with a return bend portion of the other part, the return bend portion of the said other part being provided with openings, and the return bend portion of one part of each end post having a spring tongue engaging in an opening in the other part of the said end post, spring locking plates secured to the tops of each end wall, and a cover composed of cross bars and battens secured in spaced relation, the ends of the cross bars resting upon the tops of the side walls with the ends of the battens sprung under the metal plates of the end walls.

3. In a knockdown crate, a bottom, side and end walls, locking means between the ends of the end walls and the ends of the side walls, spring plates secured to the end walls and a cover composed of bars and battens seeured together, the ends of the bars resting upon the top of the side walls and the ends of oneof the battens sprung under the spring plates of the end walls.

4. In a knockdown crate, a bottom, side and end walls, locking means between the ends of the end walls and the ends of the side walls, locking plates secured to the end walls at the top thereof, and a cover resting upon the side walls and sprung under the locking plates, whereby an upward pressure is exerted upon the end walls.

- 5. In a knockdown crate, a bottom, side and end walls, metallic openings secured to the side walls, metallic strips secured to the end walls and provided with locking tongues for engagement with the openings in the metallic strips carried by the side walls, spring plates secured to the end walls at the top thereof, and a cover resting upon the sidewalls and sprung under the spring plates whereby a yielding and upward pressure is exerted on the end walls and the locking tongues thrown into locking relation with the openings in the metallic plates carried'by the side walls,

In testimony whereof, I sign this spec1fication in the presence of two Witnesses.

ANDREW V. BAUMEIS'IER. \Vitnesses:

Orro C. JULIAN, J. C. Momusorn strips provided with 

